5/12/12 UPDATE : You can avoid the check-in lines on Sunday morning by picking up your Walk packet, t-shirt, and Paula Deen recipe cards on Friday afternoon from 4-6pm at Omega Sports- North Hills in Raleigh, NC.

BREAKING NEWS! The TOP FOUR individual fund raisers will qualify for their choice of the following:

a 2-night stay at the Waldorf Astoria in Orlando, FL with airfare for two provided by jetBlue and a $100 gift certificate

a Life Fitness 95Ri Premier Exercise Bike

a Paula Deen Gift Basket- includes a signed Southern Cooking Bible, a signed copy of Paula Deen's memoir, apron, tea towels, pewter measuring cup set, and a $75 gift certificate to The Lady and Sons, Uncle Bubba's Oyster House, or the Paula Deen Store

Currently, there are more than 13 million women in the US who are living with or are at risk of developing diabetes. Because diabetes poses one of the greatest threats to women’s health, it’s time to get serious about addressing women’s unique challenges in managing the disease.

That’s why DiabetesSisters is teaming up with Novo Nordisk to present the 2012 orange:will Diabetes Awareness Walk – during National Women’s Health Month. ABC11 and Zevia are also sponsors.

This Walk is important because it is the only walk in the nation devoted to raising the public’s awareness about women’s unique challenges with diabetes and celebrating the women in our lives who are thriving with diabetes. By registering for the walk, you are telling the nation that women with diabetes are important! Once you are registered, you can use our online fundraising tools to create your Personal Web Page, email your friends, family and co-workers, accept online donations and raise more money to support women with diabetes.

The walk is FREE! Everyone who registers online will receive Diabetic-Friendly Paula Deen recipe cards from her Diabetes in a New Light campaign. (Walk attendees will be the FIRST EVER to have access these exclusive cards.) Anyone who raises at least $40 for the cause will receive a souvenir Walk t-shirt on the day of the event.

DID YOU KNOW?

--Women with diabetes are at increased risk for a number of very serious health conditions- including cardiovascular disease, depression, ketoacidosis, osteoperosis, polycystic ovarian syndrome, eating disorders, and body image issues.

--The risk of heart disease, the most common complication of diabetes, is more serious among women than men. Among people with diabetes who have had a heart attack, women have lower survival rates and a poorer quality of life than men.

--Women with diabetes have a shorter life expectancy than women without diabetes, and women are at greater risk of blindness from diabetes than men.

-- Diabetes is a very serious maternal health issue. Uncontrolled or undiagnosed diabetes during pregnancy is associated with the delivery of macrosomic (large) babies, which can result in costly and life-threatening complications for both the mother and the child.

--Children exposed to diabetes in the womb have a greater likelihood of becoming obese during childhood and adolescence and for developing type 2 diabetes later in life.

Yet, there are very few resources available to help women navigate these health challenges. National Women's Health Awareness Month is the perfect time for us to take a stand for our mothers, sisters, daughters, and aunts who are living with or are at risk for diabetes.

About DiabetesSisters

DiabetesSisters is a 501c3 national nonprofit whose mission is to improve the health and quality of life of women with or at risk of diabetes; and to advocate on their behalf. The organization offers unique opportunities to women with diabetes and their loved ones to learn more about healthy living, gain support in daily management, and find ways to proactivelt advocate for women with diabetes around the world. In fact, there are more than 123 million women around the world who are living with diabetes.